>> Monday, January 5, 2015

Here’s a quick-cooking vegan dinner worth making this week! My family cooking goal for this year is to lighten up on the dairy and breads. Full disclosure: We tend to not feel as full without these ingredients, so I’m thinking in terms of bulk and protein and all-the-veggies to fill our tummies. It’s a slow process, but it’s definitely something I feel strongly about.

But Pizza Thursday will remain on the calendar until the end of time. Sunday night? This guy provided more than enough sustenance as a main course. We served it with some kale chips on the side and some Greek yogurt for dipping!

BAKED VEGGIE SPAGHETTI SQUASH

What you’ll need . . .

1 medium-large spaghetti squash

1/2 cup salsa (or pasta sauce) of choice

1 large bell pepper, chopped

1 can black beans, drained + rinsed

(corn, olives, etc. add-ins)

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

salt + pepper

Cheese -- optional

Method . . .

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cuts down on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 45 minutes.

Remove squash from oven and let cool slightly before using a fork to scoop out the flesh (that resembles spaghetti, hence the name).

In a large stock pot, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat, then toss in the chopped pepper (and whatever add-ins you’re using) and cook for a few minutes. Add the salsa, nutritional yeast, paprika (and other spices, like cumin and chili powder), salt, and pepper.

Seriously -- go crazy adding in whatever else you think would work in this dish. It’s totally adaptable in that way.

Stir well, then toss in the squash “spaghetti” and continue mixing until fully incorporated.

Stuff squash shells and serve immediately. You can also top with a little shredded cheese and broil until browned and bubbly.

// Alternatively, you can place the stuffed squash in your refrigerator up to a day in advance and re-heat for later consumption. That’s what I did. We also topped ours with a heaping helping of hot sauce (after Ada had carved out her portion).